Toyshop Creations
by Rowena Bensel
Summary: New toys come to the Miyazaki Toy Shop, meaning Haru and Hiromi lead the welcoming party for them. What a surprise that the new toys are just like them. - Secret Santa gift for W.Y. Traveller.


This is my fic for the 2018 TCR Secret Santa, and I was given W.Y. Traveller. HI! I decided to combine two of your prompts, "AU/Scenario where the Bureau meets for the first time" and "Toy Shop". I drew a bit of inspiration from the Steadfast Tin Soldier segment of Fantasia 2000, as well as YarningChick's oneshot Alla Perfezione. Enjoy!

* * *

There was a new batch of toys in the shop. Haru could hear the others softly chattering about it from her perch in the Tree near the front of the shop. Hiromi, her oldest friend who always stood at the base of the tree facing into the shop, was able to see and hear the gossip much better than Haru's position in the branches facing the window with a book in her hands.

Haru was a lovely doll, and had certainly gotten several offers of sale, though Mr. Miyazaki always refused. Separate from the tree, she maintained her perch due to a slot at the base of her back, which clicked with a notch on the tree. Her hair was soft, straight brown that was cut to her shoulder, held back into a tail by a blue ribbon that matched the skirt she was wearing. Said skirt fell to her calves, showing off her sensible brown shoes, and was under a white blouse and matching blue bodice. Her most complimented feature were her eyes, big and brown. Her book was painted wood, though many days she wished it was real that she could read during the day.

"Oooh! Apparently, they're vintage," Hiromi whispered excitedly. "A childless man passing on his grandfather's old toys. How exciting."

Hiromi was also as lovely as Haru, and had gotten almost the same number of offers. Her had strawberry blonde hair that curled around her head in a bob, and eyes a slightly lighter shade of brown than Haru's. Her skirt was grey under a white shirt and light blue bodice, and also showed off her brown boots. She had an open basket under her arm, which was refilled each week to reflect the season. This week was snowdrop petals, for the soon to end winter.

"The coast is clear," Haru said, sitting up and closing her book, just in time for Yuki to jump into her lap from the branch above. Mr. Miyazaki had just left, locking the door behind him, and at this late hour, the streets were deserted. A quick tug on the shop window curtains by the fairies and animals who shared their display would ensure no one saw the magic taking place inside.

"Really?" Hiromi put her basket down and cupped her hands around her mouth. "Hey everyone! The coast is clear!"

As if like magic - which it was - the toys in the shop sprang to life. Stiff dolls clicked their joints as they stretched, stuffed animals pushed themselves to their feet a little unsteadily, trains, cars and planes spun their wheels and propellers as wood, plastic and metal engines roared to life. Haru always enjoyed watching this - this gift of life that was because of her, Hiromi, Yuki and their tree.

Once upon a time, a woodcarver had wanted to recapture a scene he had come across during his travels. A girl perched in the branches of a tree, reading a book with a white cat sleeping above her, while her sister or friend stood at the base of the tree trying to call her down. He worked years to make them, a labour of love that almost no one had expected him to complete. But complete them he did, and the love he poured into them made a Creation. First they had lived in his home, just the three of them. Then he got married to a woman with a young daughter, and they found the girl's toys would wake up with them every night, as long as they were in the same room as the Tree. If they left the room, they turned back to inanimate cloth and wood. And so Haru, Hiromi and Yuki had lived, being passed down the family line until Mr. Miyazaki decided to open his toy shop and displayed the Tree in the front window. And here they were today.

Haru tucked Yuki under an arm, then started to climb down the tree, dropping the last few inches to the ground. "Shall we go see our newcomers?"

"Of course!" Hiromi looked fit to burst, smoothing out her skirt before grabbing Haru's free hand. "Come on!"

The two dolls jumped down from the window bench, followed by a few of the other toys who shared their spot of honor. As they led the way into the back of the shop, where all new toys were brought to be cleaned and checked for damage before being displayed, they picked up a parade of other toys, all eager to find out who these new arrivals would be.

Haru was surprised when, as they approached the door, they could hear yelling on the other side. Did Mr. Miyazaki's grandson come back for something? No, he'd left early, saying he had a date. And there were two voices, not one. What was this?

The parade stopped a few feet from the door. Two of the fairy dolls flew up to the door handle, unlocking and turning it, before pulling it open, a few stuffed animals helping push it the rest of the way. What they saw surprised them all.

"Get down here, you big chicken!"

"Don't you know the difference between a chicken and a crow, marshmallow?"

A large stuffed cat, white except for one of his ears, was standing on his hind legs, waving his forepaws in a boxing pose at a black crow flapping above him. The crow dived and nearly knocked the cat over. The cat gave as good as he got, though, and managed to get a jab in at the bird, sending him off course that he almost hit a rack of paints. The crow swooped around for another attack when -

"Gentlemen!" a clear accented voice cut over the bickering. "Can't you see we have company? You're scaring our new neighbors."

Haru's (and everyone else's) attention drifted to the owner of said voice. A grey suited gentleman stood on the desk, looking down at the other two toys.

"Sorry, Baron," the crow said, swooping towards the desk. The gentleman leapt onto the bird's back with practiced ease, and they flew to the ground next to the cat.

Or other cat, should be the word, as Haru could now clearly see the gentleman was also a cat, or at least partially. His head was that of an orange tabby, with white fur over most of his face. His suit was a soft dove grey, and under it was a red waistcoat, white shirt, and blue bowtie. His hands were gloved, and his feet in brown dress shoes. In his hand was a brown cane, and on his head a matching grey top hat. And he was the most gorgeous thing Haru had ever seen.

The gentlecat hopped from the crow's back and led his companions to the doorway. "Greetings. I am Baron Humbert von Gikkingen. These are my steadfast companions, Toto, and Muta." He lifted his hat from his head to over his chest and bowed before motioning to the crow and cat respectively.

Haru was still a bit stunned but luckily Hiromi stepped up. "Greetings, Baron. I am Hiromi, and these are my sisters, Haru and Yuki." She pointed to the pair. "Is one of you a Creation? Normally our awakening magic doesn't extend outside the room we're in."

"Toto and I are. Muta has been with us long enough he's taken in enough of our magic to become animate on his own."

"Good thing too, considering the number of times you've left me somewhere," the white cat - Muta - said, crossing his arms.

"Well maybe if your fat behind didn't lag behind us," the crow - Toto - said, leaning over to peck at Muta's head and ducking back before the cat could swipe him.

This interaction gave Haru time to recover from her shock, and she smiled, stepping up to Baron and extending her hand. "It's wonderful to have you here, Baron. All of you."

"Thank you." Baron placed his hat back on his head and shook her hand. "I hope we'll find a place here."

"I'm sure you will." Some of the other toys were starting to approach the trio, the stuffed animals drifting more towards Muta while some of the birds and flying toys moved towards Toto. Yuki jumped from Haru's arm and went to join her beau Lune, a blue-grey cat part of a ceramic set, and Hiromi came up to them.

"Come one, let's go to the Tree, and you can tell us all about your adventures," she said.

Baron smiled. "Of course. May I escort you, my ladies?" He hooked his cane over his wrist and offered his arms to them.

"Of course, good sir," Haru said, slipping her arm through his, and momentarily wondering why it felt like a perfect fit.


End file.
